Hot Water
by LoVecakes
Summary: Josh explains to Skye why Maddy uses all the hot water not realizing they have an unintentional listener. Two-shot (maybe more?). Mark/Maddy hints of Josh/Syke. Eludes to sexual assault, nothing explicit. Rated T for subject matter and slight cursing.


**A/N: This idea would not go away so I had to write it down, despite not really being a writer. Feedback is always welcome. The sexual assault content is a very sensitive subject, I realize, so I broached the subject cautiously.  
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Josh walked out of him bedroom followed by an exasperated Skye. They sat on the sofa, Josh shivering, trying to warm up after another cold shower. He thought he would eventually get accustomed to no longer being afforded the luxury of hot water. He was wrong. Daily ice cold showers was not something he could easily acclimate to. He did however master speed showers. Skye sat next to him with a quirked eyebrow not sure if she could really offer any sort of comfort to him

"If its always like this why don't-."

Josh brought the zipper to his hood up and cut her off. "It'll pass pretty quick. It always does."

"Have you tried reasoning with her?" She mused.

"Just drop it okay?"

"Hey I'm on your side. I'm the one who has to sit here listening to your teeth chatter while you warm up." Skye said while raising her hands in a surrendering fashion.

It was just easier to finally tell her Josh decided. He and Skye had this discussion every time she was around to witness the aftermath of Maddy using up all the hot water. He didn't want to divulge his sisters private business to anyone but he knew he could trust Skye. Plus he was tired of brushing it off or making excuses for her and almost fighting with his almost girlfriend.

"All I'm saying is-"

Josh sighed defeated and cut her off, "Okay, but you have to promise not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you."

He knew she wouldn't but it was something you say out of habit when sharing a secret. He looked in the direction of the bedroom he knew Maddy was currently in getting ready for her date with her boyfriend. Then looked towards the door knowing Mark himself would be showing up shortly.

"Okay?" Skye drew out the word confused.

Josh continued, "Maddy. See the thing is she has a reason..." He realized that he had never verbalized what had happened to his sister. It was proving to be difficult. "Shortly before coming here Maddy was...attacked...at school." Skye sucked in a breathe never having imagined that that was where this conversation was going.

"Oh my god. You mean..."

"Yeah. I won't go into details but some fuckface at school pretended to be her friend to get into her pants. She refused and he got angry. Anyway, Shortly after that my mom got recruited and here we are."

"What happened to him?"Skye hoped he was back in 2149 rotting in a jail with an Earth that was dying around him.

Josh slightly smiled at the memory of having his mother tend to his bruised and bloody hands a few days after it happened. Elisabeth Shannon said nothing while patching him up. Josh had never reminded her more of his father as much as he had at that moment. With their father in jail he felt it was up to him to protect his family. He was the man of the house.

"He got what he deserved." Josh said, " and he's also in jail."

The Shannon's had their fair share of secrets. What family didn't. They already had a good amount of their dirty laundry aired for all of Terra Nova with a fugitive dad and a third child. What happened to Maddy was horrific and private so the least they could do was endure the cold showers.

"Anyway since then her shower time has increased significantly but we don't complain."

Just then Jim Shannon walked through the front door with Zoe as Maddy emerged from her room with a huge smile that fell when she realized it was only her father at the door and not who she expected.

"Oh, hey dad."

"Not happy to see your old man?" Jim quipped.

"I'm always happy to see you dad. I was just expecting Mark is all." Maddy said.

Jim raised a confused eyebrow at his eldest daughter. "Ah, honey Mark's here. He came while you were in the shower and I told him it might be a while. I put him in the sun room. "

Just then Mark slowly emerged from the sun room whose door was wide open the whole time. He stood stock still with his fist balled at his sides and eyes that glistened with unshed tears.

"Oh shit!"

"Shit" Josh and Skye cursed simultaneously realizing Mark had heard their whole conversation.

Maddy's mouthed curved into the brightest smile she reserved only for her boyfriend and started in his direction only to falter when she saw his stance and expression. He was looking down at the ground unsure.

"Mark?"

He lifted his head towards her and their eyes connected. What she saw in his let her know. She knew. She just knew that he knows what happened. She had seen that look before. It's the same look people at school gave her after she was attacked. It's the same look her family gives her sometimes when they think she is unaware. It was a mix of emotions. It was anger, worry, disgust. Worst of all it was pity. He pitied her. She could tolerate those things from her family, hell even from her fake friends at school but not from him. He was supposed to be different.

"Attacked? You were..." Mark choked the words out barely able to contain the emotions pouring into his voice.

Maddy slowly shook her head not in denial but in disbelief wishing she could be anywhere but in that house with all eyes on her while hers remain on Marks.

"Josh? How could you?"

It's barely a whisper but he hears her. They all do. The house is eerily quiet. Or maybe she's just not listening. She's sure Josh is trying to tell her something. An apology, maybe an explanation. She vaguely hears the door close, finally tearing her eyes away from Mark and realizes that her father has taken Zoe back outside. As she turns back to him She can't bring herself to care or focus on anything else except the lonely tear that finally rolls down Mark's cheek landing on his lips and disappearing into his mouth.

She has never hated those lips more than she does right now. Honestly she has never hated them at all. She actually loves the feel of them warm, soft pressed against her own. But damn them for catching that tear and allowing him to taste his own grief and heartache. Mark took a tentative step towards her but she backed away.

"NO." Maddy made a dash for the door throwing it open and running into the crisp night air.

"Maddy wait!" Josh called as he got up to go after her but Mark was already out of the door only stopping when he sees Jim sitting on the porch with a sleeping Zoe in his arms.

"Mr. Shannon" he says silently pleading.

It takes about a second for Jim to tell him to go after her. His eldest daughter is hurting right now and as much as he wants to be the one to run after her, to hold his little girl in his arms he knows he's not the person she needs right now. Right now she needs the boy, no, the man who is literally running to be at her side. The very same man who told him he planned on marrying his daughter one day. The man he doesn't like to admit that he approves of. He looks down at his youngest sleeping in his arms and kisses her forehead.

"At least I still have you for another 11 years."


End file.
